Some Things Never Change
by Alanic
Summary: Legolas arrives in Imladris injured. Elrond and the twins must take care of him again.


This is just a little one-off that was roaming around my mind. Sorry for the writers block on my other stories but things are coming along. The writing bug is biting again so I hopefully will be putting more out soon. Thanks to any of you that are still reading and I hope you enjoy this.

No warnings necessary

**Disclaimer:** Not mine and no money of course.

**Some Things Never Change**

He watched the fly crawl across the ceiling, its wings shaking and twitching as its senses tried to anticipate danger. Normally he would have swatted it happily but at the moment this was his only source of entertainment and he had been watching it for quite some time.

He refused to acknowledge the pain that thrummed through his body for he did not wish to wake his friend who obviously needed the sleep he had finally found. He listened to the soft intake and output of the ebony haired elf's breath and smiled slightly. He did not need to see the other clearly to know who was there and he reflected on how blessed he was to have such good friends.

He heard the door to his room open and the light tread of another elf making their way over to his bed. Another ebony haired elf's face appeared within his line of sight.

"You are awake." The handsome elf stated when he saw blue eyes open and aware.

"You always have had a talent for stating the obvious Elladan."

Elladan grinned in relief. "Are you in much pain?"

"I have decided not to move just yet. I ache and there seems to be the promise of much more pain if I am foolish enough to test that theory so I have resorted to watching this fly to occupy myself for a bit."

By that time the elf sleeping in the chair had awoken. "Legolas!" Elrohir said in concern as he jumped up and joined his brother at his friend's bedside.

"You are awake!" He stated.

"You two are far too much alike at times for my taste." Legolas said dryly as Elladan put his arm around his bewildered twin.

"I made the exact same statement just moments ago Elrohir."

The younger twins look of concern only deepened at that. "Why did you not wake me? You need some pain medication."

"Oh Roh, I really do not wish to be drugged insensate again, so I have decided to simply lay here unmoving for a while."

The twins exchanged a look. "What happened this time Legolas?" Elrohir asked quietly.

Legolas rolled his eyes then winced deciding that even that small motion was not a good idea. He took a breath as if to respond and then seemed to change his mind.

"I could not arrive in one piece. That would have disrupted the pattern established over a millennium and made your father feel unneeded and unnecessary."

"After being on deaths doorstep for the last few days, you are quite witty dear friend." Elladan said with a smile. "But that does not get you off the hook."

"At least we didn't have to go and find you or rescue you this time. It is fortunate you have a horse so well trained that he will drag your senseless body to us. But, you still have not answered the question." Elrohir trailed off expectantly.

A long sigh sounded and blue eyes closed slowly. "I am too tired to continue. I would like to nap." Came the almost insolent reply.

The twins looked at each other knowingly. "Please drink some water; you have lost a lot of blood."

Elrohir helped the prince tilt his head up which was accompanied by a small moan.

"Yes, I was right about moving and pain." Legolas muttered as he took a few gulps of liquid. It did feel wonderful going down his parched throat.

"I will regale you with my tale later." He said as his blue eyes slid shut once again.

"Do you think it was Orcs or marauders or just plain bad luck?" Elladan asked his twin as his friends breathing evened out confirming he was in deed asleep.

"Knowing Legolas, it was probably a combination on all three."

The identical elves chuckled and sat down for a game of chess, still not willing to leave their friend unattended.

xxxxxxx

When he finally woke up a familiar voice alerted him to company.

"How do you feel penneth?" Elrond's deep voice penetrated the fog in Legolas brain as he tried to climb back to full consciousness. "Trying to decide." Came the faint reply.

"I hear that you have been concerned about my ego and do not wish me to feel unneeded and unnecessary."

The blond patient sighed "I really must tell your sons to keep some things to themselves." Legolas answered with a grimace.

Elrond smiled as he busied himself by running a quick examination of the young prince. A sharp intake of breath indicated his ribs were still mending and the following yelp affirmed the tenderness of his leg.

"Must you poke and prod like that? I will apologize for the comment; you don't need to torture me." Legolas groused.

"Just making sure I am still needed and necessary." Elrond replied as another moan of pain was extracted from his patient. He paused for a moment and gazed at the poor elf.

"Truly Legolas, you know I do not wish to hurt you but I must check your injuries."

"Aye, I know." Came the halting response.

"Are you going to tell us how you got your injuries penneth? You were not very coherent when you arrived."

Legolas took a breath. "Quite simply I was evading orcs and took a tumble off a cliff."

"Cliff!" Elrond exclaimed followed quickly by similar voices.

"Cliff?! Legolas you can find trouble no matter where you are!"

The prince glanced over to see the twins had entered his room.

"It was not that difficult to do really. I was just lucky Atos got away and managed to find me later."

"How do you train your horses to do that?" Elladan asked in all seriousness.

"When you live in Mirkwood, a well trained mount is often the difference between life and death."

"As you have proven to us many times." Elrond added.

Legolas blushed before continuing. "A group of Orcs cornered me by the ravine and Atos slipped on some loose stones. He recovered, I did not."

"You fell off your horse?" Elladan almost snickered. He was pierced with an irritated glare.

"I made a decision to relieve Atos of my additional weight. If I had not, we would both be dead now, I am sure of it."

The perendhil glanced at one another. "So you _chose_ to fall off?" Elrohir stated, not entirely convinced of the truth of the statement.

"I weighed my options and did just that."

Elrohir shook his head. "You never cease to surprise me."

Legolas smiled faintly and continued haltingly with his story. "I was outnumbered and although orcs are lazy and stupid, in sufficient quantities, they are quite deadly."

"Now you state the obvious." Elladan said jokingly.

Legolas could not stop the chuckle that recent memory elicited and he chocked back the gasp of pain that followed. Elrond had propped him up enough to be able to drink and Elrohir quickly offered him some water which he gulped gratefully.

"How did you know they would not just kill Atos? That would have sealed your fate as well." Elladan asked.

"There were still variables of course, but death, pain and torture, not in the order, were a given had I remained atop the cliff. By dropping, I gave myself and my horse the best opportunity at life. I was hoping they would be too shocked at what I had done to pay attention to Atos until he had a chance to escape. They would want to know if I had survived so they would crowd to the edge and hopefully my horse would be able to find me later." Legolas took a long breath and his eyes fluttered shut. The explanation had taken a lot out of him.

Still not satisfied Elrohir persisted. "What if the drop had killed you?"

"Better than torture." Came the reply, his eyes still closed.

"Well if Atos could find you, why not the orcs?"

"I am beginning to wish they had…." He said quietly with a sigh and a slight smile at his own jest. His eyes slowly opened once again. "Oh well, it was a risk of course but I hoped that a group that large may have had a mission or purpose more important than a single elf who was probably dead. I thought that once I was no longer an easy target they would resume their original journey."

By this time all three raven heads were shaking in disbelief and wonder and several voices chorused together.

"You take too many chances."

"You have more luck than the Valar themselves."

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Perhaps I should contact your father."

The poor elf feebly raised his hand. "Please, not all at once. Yes, I take chances but that is so I can see all of you even in these trying times. No, you do not need to contact my father unless you want to insure my death at his hands for putting him through this once again."

There was some reserved laughter at that statement and concerned looks were shared by the peredihil when the prince's eyes slid shut once again.

"What if Atos had not found you?" Elrohir persisted.

"He probably would have run here since home was so far away and alerted you to my predicament and then you would have come and found me."

"By that time I believe you would have perished." Elrond said softly.

"Calculated risk." Came the faint response.

"Well thank the Valar your calculated risk worked out but how you managed to drag yourself onto your horse I will never know." Elladan said.

"I for one am glad it all worked out." Elrohir said taking his friends good hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

"As am I" said Legolas who weakly returned the affectionate squeeze. "Now when can I get out of bed?"

Elrond just groaned in frustration while his offspring laughed. "Some things never change."

the end

Please let me know if you enjoyed and I promise to have the sequel to "And so it Begins" started very soon!

Alanic


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